JFK-1

I definitely don't think it should be moved to suit publicans which is what this is about. Do we seriously believe that in Scotland alcohol abuse on Hogmanay is down to an old firm game? A lot less alcohol will be consumed on Hogmanay if this game is moved to another date? Or might it be the case that just as much alcohol will be consumed as would be even if there were no OF game and moving it to another date for another pay day is preferable to pub owners? Because hey on another day there will be less alcohol abuse wont there? And since when did publicans ever care about alcohol abuse? It's like saying tobacco companies care about the health risks of smoking.

Couldn't agree more. Even though we have scarcely been setting the heather alight with stuttering inconsistent displays we have still produced far superior football to anything I have seen from Aberdeen who are truly crap in a league that's simply even more crap than they are. I still expect to finish above them. They're only 3 points ahead of us and we can only get better while they're already as good as they're going to get and that's crap. Hopefully Accies who can often be a pain in the rear take something from them tonight

I think he chose the correct strategy because if nothing else under Rodgers they can be a potent attacking force. I wouldn't say he wasn't looking for a way to win but rather was looking to negate their attacking momentum and hit them on the break. Problem is as everybody has been noting our passing was deplorable. But I don't see how we can blame that on the manager. I'm confident he didn't tell them to lose the ball at every opportunity after one or two passes.

We don't expect to be in it to win it all we want is the money. We're more than ready for more money because the lack of it is holding us back. From that perspective I don't understand any desire to not be in Europe. You seriously think not being in Europe betters any chance of winning the league? They're in Europe and they're going to win the league and the reason they will is because of Euro money. If we don't get into Europe next season we will fall further behind and continue doing so till we get Euro money coming in on a regular basis.

FORMER Rangers boss Graeme Souness believes his old club must invest heavily in the transfer market if they are to compete again with Celtic on a level playing field. Sunday’s 1-0 loss in the Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden was the second time the Ibrox side have been beaten by their biggest rivals this season, and Souness felt that the gap between the two clubs could only be bridged by spending more money on better players. The former Scotland midfielder believes Celtic are currently “five years ahead” of Rangers and hoped chairman Dave King or someone else would find the money needed to make Rangers genuine title challengers once more. He said: “They need to get better players and that will take money. The owner [King] needs to find some money for the manager because he's operating with one hand tied behind his back at the moment. "You can't come out and say you're going to spend this and spend that if you haven't got it. If you end up not spending it, that is a mistake because it raised the expectations of the support. Rangers supporters have proven themselves over the last few years, turning up in the numbers they have done to home and away games. They expect, and now the owner's got to support the manager. “In the next three or four transfer windows Rangers can be lucky and find some money from somewhere. Because that's what it's going to take. There's no magician out there who could come in and do things any differently. There's no super coach who could do things any differently. It needs better players, simple as that. “As a Rangers supporter, we can feel disappointed about losing to Celtic again but I think it's to be expected. They're five years ahead of us. That doesn't mean it'll be like this for the next five years but certainly in the last five years they've had far more opportunity to strengthen than we have. We're playing catch-up, we'll need some clever buying, we'll need some money and we’ll need some luck. "I'd give the manager more time, certainly. It borders on being mission impossible for him. Celtic get 30 million quid from their Champions League this year. What do Rangers get from TV rights? A couple of million. And that's not just this year, that's previous years as well. You've got the unbelievable expectation from the Rangers supporters but anyone with any common sense must look at it and see the reasons why they're better than Rangers right now.” Souness felt it would be unrealistic to expect Rangers to be challenging for the title this season. He added: “With Hearts and Aberdeen - the expectation isn't there. But Mark is having to put up with the history that's gone back over 100 years. That's what he's having to deal with, that and the expectation from the Rangers supporters, “Oh, we're back, we're going to win it”. That was never going to happen. But with the passion that's there in home games, they could go on a roll easily. If that happens they could finish second.” http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/rangers/14820905.Graeme_Souness_calls_on_Rangers_to_splash_the_cash_as_they_play_catch_up_with_Celtic/?ref=eb

You may be right I couldn't say, i'm simply tossing figures around based off what they are willing to charge for a domestic match against a team we are guaranteed to play at least 4 times every year. While anything we play in Europe is a novelty and playing there at all after years away is in itself a sellable novelty. My main point is that I don't think it makes sense to hope to avoid Europe next season because it will harm a league challenge? Has not being in Europe this year helped a league challenge any? Does anyone seriously see any chance of winning the league next year without serious money coming in? I don't so next season will be another scrap for top 3 which all things being equal should be eminently doable even while playing in Europe. We absolutely must get that Euro money because without it there will never be any league challenge while they keep raking it in. As for the financial value in our current condition I think it's substantial. Let's presume 2 home qualifying matches then 3 home group matches at an average £25 a ticket over the 5 matches and capacity crowds. That's £6.25 million in gate receipts beside €2,400,000 base group participation fee and another €360,000 for a win or €120,000 for a draw. Even if we never picked up a single group point all that amounts to about £8.5 million even before adding in extras such as catering and various merchandising etc and for our club at this time that's major money. We absolutely must aim for this Euro place. Also the chances of any possible investment opportunities coming in aside from such revenue will be increased by Euro participation as will the potential standard of recruit if he's being offered Euro participation.

We're not even into the second quarter of our first campaign in the SPL since 2011/12 season and given the advantages the main opposition have a top 3 finish for a Euro spot has to be acceptable and I think that will be achieved. With the relatively limited resources the manager has had at has disposal I fail to see how anyone else could have done any better. From day one he has pointed out this is a project that will take years while all he has had is a single season and less than a quarter of a second. He has to be given the support to take the project forward.

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Difficult to place a label on the kind of mentality that equates a broken toilet with bottled kids and death. I suspect they're so effectively insane they don't get the insanity.

Back in the days when Euro nights were a taken for granted annual feature and which by the start of next season will be something not seen at Ibrox in 6 years. To my mind that's a sell out money spinner we badly need.

If I remember correctly they charged 50 quid at the piggery.

Base fee for group stage: €2,400,000 Group match victory: €360,000 Group match draw: €120,000 And as mentioned that's aside from gate receipts. Everybody does and that's why it would be a sell out after years without it and if they charge 50 quid for a domestic match as in OF game they will not hesitate to charge top dollar for a return to Europe. And regarding an earlier suggestion that it interferes with pre season isn't that what the new league cup format does and what all the Euro contestants dodged and went straight into the last 16 of the league cup? Has that done Aberdeen or Hearts any harm? Say two qualifying home games which if they were negotiated would then lead to three group home games for a total of 5 home games and that amounts to a pile of cash on top of the base fee and points bonuses. It's a no brainier when you consider not being in Europe gets us absolutely nothing.

I think we could be almost guaranteed a full house for a return to Europe and I fully expect they would charge at least £40 a ticket given they're willing to charge more than that for an OF game. I'm not assuming a group stage qualification i'm hoping for it and suspecting the chance of it would encourage more investment in the squad than if there were no Euro football on offer. We're never going to win this league without it while they keep raking it in. It's absolutely essential to catch up with them.

Base fee for group stage: €2,400,000 Group match victory: €360,000 Group match draw: €120,000 And that's aside from gate money and other revenues which could top 2 million per home game.

We're talking about capacity crowds paying high prices for tickets at Ibrox for home games which is way more than enough to cover any expenses then probably around £10 million from making the group stages which I would feel confident of making since the prospect would encourage them to strengthen. Lat season King mentioned the Summer transfer dealing were dependent on whether or not we won the SC and got a dig at Europe. And aside from that not being in Europe means at best a 4th spot league finish and that's just not acceptable to me and I would suspect to the club and most of it's fans too. Neither of them would be happy with it being suggested we should hope to miss out on a chance at £10 million. You appear concerned about having no chance in the league when right now we probably have no chance in the league and not making Europe this season wont improve that next season. Right now we have zero chance of challenging for that league without the bonus of Euro money especially if they just keep right on raking in the Euro money. I find it strange that anyone thinks our prospects of winning the league could be improved by not getting this Euro money.

It's all the worse that he has followed his usual cheque book strategy including a world record fee for a single player and are being outplayed by a Chelsea side who are arguably the poorest of the challengers for the top 4. Chelsea have been beaten by the only two current top 4 teams they have played so far which were Liverpool and Arsenal. There would have to be a staggering improvement if Utd were to make the top 4 this season and so far there are no signs of that happening. They're likely to end the day in 7th position which is the position that got Moyes sacked after just 10 months and nothing like the money Mourinho has already burned through.

They're offering a chance at Euro football while at the moment we're not which is another reason aside from money we need it.

Thing is the only way to rebuild is with money and Europe even if only the Europa league is the most lucrative avenue out there. We're never going to catch them dodging Europe.

Not necessarily. A single close season made the difference for them and it can do the same for us with some smart transfer activity.

We're never going to win the league without some finances and as it stands the Europa league is the best financial avenue available to us. Having little money will hold us back permanently far less next season.

Agree with the sentiment but if it were an either or I want the 3 points on Wednesday ahead of this. It's imperative to begin stringing together a run of results in the league and pushing up the table. Beating them is always to be desired but this cup gets us nothing. I would feel differently if it came with a Euro spot.

In the meantime I think we're just going to have to stomach that they look better than us but i'm still convinced we're better than anything else in that league and we can play better than this and beat them at Ibrox. And if it came to a choice between winning today and winning 3 points on Wednesday I would take the 3 points.

Gilks save apparently.

Hazard a guess at face paint.

It's fifteen minutes past midnight here and i'm still awake hoping it's not going to be an up all night waiting for the match to kick off scenario.